Prestonwood Christian Academy (PCA) celebrated its annual World Impact Day today and commissioned 463 students and staff members who will serve both locally and abroad next week. Each year, PCA sets aside a Minimester week during the spring semester for Upper School students to serve on mission.
From the beginning of the school year, all PCA students are involved with World Impact Day and Minimester – even though the pre-kindergarten through sixth graders will have school as usual next week. In the fall, every Lower School class is paired with mission trip and Lower School children begin praying for the students who will serve during Minimester. The younger students also begin collecting supplies that will be donated to that specific mission.
A central theme of PCA’s mission statement is equipping students to impact communities for Christ, which is why the school places such importance on World Impact Day and Minimester. This marks the 15th year that PCA has sent students and staff on Minimester, which has resulted in PCA students visiting 74 countries. This year, students are serving in eight countries abroad, seven states in the United States and multiple locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
World Impact Day began with All School Worship at Prestonwood Baptist Church. In addition to worship music led by Upper School students and a parade of flags of the countries where PCA students have or will serve, a group of eight PCA students of Asian Indian Ethnicity performed an Indian folk dance set to a praise and worship song in the Hindi language.
Attendees also heard from PCA Alumni dad, Johnson Ellis, who has served on dozens of mission trips with PCA students, as he challenged the audience to find ways to serve their local communities on a daily basis, not just during Minimester. Mr. Ellis interviewed PCA senior Djery Baptiste who grew up in Haiti and now feels called by the Lord to give back to those who have little. Baptiste, who has committed to play basketball at Vanderbilt next year, spoke about the service work and weekly Bible studies he participates in Dallas’ Bonton neighborhood through H.I.S. BridgeBuilders. He encouraged his fellow classmates who are serving on mission next week. “The most important thing you can give the people you talk to, especially the children, is hope,” said Baptiste. “The people in my country do not grow up with hope of a better life. God’s Word has power.”
Following All School Worship, Upper School students dispersed amongst the Lower School classrooms for activities with the children and a time of prayer. All students were served a small lunch of rice and beans in honor of the millions of children around the globe who do not have enough to eat daily.
World Impact Day continues to be special for both PCA students and their families. Parents and grandparents took time to pray together after the Commissioning Service. “World Impact Day is a favorite event in our home,” said PCA mom, Julie Sparks. “My kids look forward to collecting items for the older students to use during their trips and absolutely love praying for the students going and people they will impact. We look forward to hearing what God will do over the next couple of weeks!“
Prestonwood Christian Academy has more than 1,600 students enrolled at three campuses: Plano (Pre-Kindergarten 3 through 12th grade), PCA North in Prosper (Pre-Kindergarten 3 through 5th grade) and PCAplus Virtual Academy. The school has been recognized as having one of the strongest Christian education programs in the country providing intentional biblical worldview training and integration. PCA places great value on the growth of students’ spiritual health in addition to their scholastic endeavors and co-curricular activities. In addition to PCA’s spiritual development plan, the school promotes a rigorous Liberal Arts academic program. PCA is currently accepting applications for the 2015-16 school year. Interested families are invited to take a Thursday tour of either campus. Please visit www.prestonwoodchristian.org for more information!